Shift
by Winged Lady Colette
Summary: "Yes, we believe it wise until we can assure that whomever is after your life is stopped, my padawan, Padme, will take your place as Senator Amidala."
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: I know. I'm sorry! Forgive me! Let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Warnings: Language, tense changes, OOCness, unbeta'd.**

 **Word Count: 6,848**

 _The day she met them, was the day that her entire life changed. For the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, through the fun times and the hard times, somehow even if it didn't always feel like it, this was the moment her entire life changed. For the better. Not only was she introduced to new people that day, but in the days to follow, she was introduced to something so much more. Padme never thought that she would make much for herself. She was good at droids and ships and really anything mechanical, but she never knew that while it made her special to a class of people, there was still so much more to herself than she knew._

 _She just had to meet the right people at the right time and she would be on the path to what could be her destiny. She knew that there was something interesting, peculiar even, going on with this strange group of people, but she never knew that it would be the beginning of not only her second life, but maybe her real one. But she didn't know that until much, much later._

"Paddy! Come in here!"

Padme walked into the room, pushing the long loose strands of curly brown hair over her shoulder to step into the front of Watto's shop to see a handful of strange people she's never seen before all gathered together into the Watto's small, clustered shop, practically shoulder to shoulder.

The first, and the oldest of them, that Padme saw is far taller than anyone else in the room. He had long dark brown hair that went past his shoulders, with half of it pulled up into a ponytail while the rest fell straight down his back. His beard and mustache are finely groomed, but graying, belying his age. He was wearing a large, brown poncho that covered up most of his body with what appeared to be dark pants and even darker boots. His eyes were a keen blue eyes that seemed to stare through her.

The next was a strange alien that Padme had never seen before, he was almost as tall as the human male before him. He kind of has a duck like appearance with large ear flats down to his lower back in shades of pale orange to a pinkish color. His clothes are grungy and he's hunched over with large, darting yellow eyes that seem unfocused, but curious.

At his side was a boy, young, probably less than ten years old. He had sandy blond hair spiked up on the top while shaved shorter on the back with a braid behind his ear that is long enough to rest on his shoulder. His clothes were simple, muted colors of peach, white and tan, but what really caught her attention was his beautiful, steely gray eyes, wide and open as if little was missed by his keen eyes. But they lock onto her, holding her in place with their intensity and a peculiar look crossed his face.

Padme learned why a moment later when the last of their guests stepped around the strange alien to see why everyone had stopped moving. The woman, Padme's eyes lock with, are completely like her own. Everything about her was identical to her own. The same eyes, face shape, lip shape, skin tone, beauty mark and if Padme was a betting girl; age and height were probably pretty close. She was covered head to toe in a bright orange and yellow headdress and gown.

"Paddy!" Watto called her attention away from her doppelganger to look at him. Watto flew over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Watch the shop for me, would ya? I gotta talk business."

"Yes, Watto," Padme said, walking over to the counter and jumping up onto it. The four guests stared at her as if she is some kind of dangerous animal about to leap out at them at any given moment. The tall man stared at her curiously for a moment, considering something, before he turned to Watto.

"Shall we?"

Watto waved for him to follow as they head out into the junk yard.

"Wow!" the strange alien said, breaking the silence that had settled over the room since Watto and the strange man left, walking over to her, looking her up and down. "Yousa looks like the handmaiden!"

The girl's eyebrows pulled together tightly, looking like she couldn't believe what she was seeing before her eyes. Padme couldn't either. A girl who looked just like her. Sure, Padme wasn't as clean as a whistle and her hair was probably a mess, but there was a lot of shocking similarities between herself and the girl in front of her that neither could just ignore.

"I suppose so," Padme said softly. "Except I feel I'm a bit frumpier."

And she was. She didn't care all that much about how she looked, but it was like staring at the imagine of what she could have been. Sure, the girl's dress wasn't anything extravagant, but there was a delicate beauty to her that Padme knew wasn't in her own appearance. She had callouses on her fingers and scars up and down her arms and hands. She's no doubt dirty from oil and grease from working all day out in the hot suns of Tatooine. With the prim and proper way the girl is standing, it would be no surprise to Padme if this girl didn't sweat.

Padme didn't usually care how she looked mostly, but she did at that very moment.

"You must be an angel..."

Padme's eyes lowered to the little boy in front of her. She was about to smile coyly at him, call him out on his joke, especially since he was standing next to someone who looked so much like her but clean and delicate and girly. But he was looking at her as if he really believed that she was an angel.

"I..." Padme said softly, surprised. "I am no angel. I don't really know what an angel is, but I'm sure I'm not it."

"An angel," the little boy said, showing off a very charming smile that lights up his face, "is one of the most beautiful creatures in the galaxy!"

The girl sent him a look that made it appear as though he either said too much or simply didn't agree with that assumption, Padme didn't know either way. While Padme herself didn't agree, she did appreciate his kind words. He was still young enough where Padme could guess, to some degree, that he meant what he said. It wasn't just flattery. At least part of it wasn't.

"Thank you..." Padme said softly, embarrassed. She reached up and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "That is very kind of you to say."

"What's yousa name? Mesa JarJar Binks," the strange alien said, stepping closer to her and putting his hand on his chest.

"Padme," Padme said. "Padme Naberrie." JarJar tilted his head a bit, strange yellow eyes flickered around the room and went to look about, humming tunelessly to himself.

"I'm Anakin Skywalker," the little boy said, still smiling. "Don't touch anything, JarJar." The strange alien jerked his hand back from one of the hanging droids and looked down at the little boy, sheepishly. The boy quirked an eyebrow at him, knowingly.

"Paral," the Padme look-a-like said, folding her hands in front of her and rolling her shoulders back. She looked around at anything and everything but Padme, as if the dirty girl was the least interesting thing in the room.

"You guys are strangers around these parts," Padme sais, running her hands up and down her thighs, fingers catching a bit at her old, worn clothes.

"We won't be here long," Paral said, folding her hands neatly in front of her, still looking around at everything but her. "I hope," she added softly.

"No worries, Paral," Anakin said, looking up at her. "Master Qui-Gon will have us out of here as soon as possible."

Master? Padme was no expert, but wasn't that a phrase for Jedi? Padme heard all sorts of stories about Jedi. They were guardians of the galaxy. Keepers of the peace. Champions of justice. They were all sorts of wonderful and amazing. Padme felt a surge of excitement flow through her, but she couldn't say anything. She could feel her shyness acting up. She wanted to ask them about what Anakin said, if they were Jedi, but she didn't know if it was some sort of secret or not and if she was just suppose to ignore it.

Her throat closed up. She wanted to say something, ask something maybe, but the feeling in the pit of her stomach returns that's always there - a mixture of tightness and unease - and she looked away, unable to ask even though she wanted to. Her mother said it was always a terrible habit of hers that she should try and break if she was going to ever survive on this world and in this life, but she had yet to. She was fourteen and she felt like she was seven. Unable to voice her thoughts.

The man, who Padme could only assume was 'Master Qui-Gon' came walking back in with Watto. Qui-Gon looked mildly displeased while Watto appeared indifferent to the situation. It looked like they couldn't come to an agreement.

"We shall go for now," Qui-Gon said to the group before turning his eyes toward Padme, still curious. He gives her a once over, as if looking for something or trying to decide on something, but then didin't appear to be able to see it. But he also didn'tt seem to be dissuaded from whatever he's thinking about. Padme could believe if he was really a Jedi. He looked really wise.

"Paddy," Watto said, pulling her eyes away from the keen man in front of her to the Toydarian next to her, "finish cleaning up, then you can go home for today."

Padme nodded. "Okay." She casted one more, curious gaze toward the departing guests before heading into the back to do as she was told, wishing she could have asked the older man if he really was a Jedi, but she still couldn't. With a bit of a dip to her shoulders to go with her small sigh, Padme kept walking.

* * *

Yes, she felt very frumpy next to the other girl, Paral. Even her name was beautiful. Padme came to hate her name because of the nickname that people call her from it. Paddy. It could be a pretty name on someone else, but it wasn't something that she enjoyed being called. Watto didn't care that she didn't like it and neither did her mother. It was such a silly thing to think about when there was so much she could focus on, but even if she didn't want to make it appear that way, Paral keeps looking at her, obvious stuck on something as well.

Padme managed to catch up with that group by chance about twenty minutes later. There was a sandstorm brewing off in the distance and offered them a place to stay for the night. She coukdn't help herself. The more she time spent with them, maybe she will be able to ask all of her questions. She just had to build up the backbone to do it.

Her mother didn't mind Padme coming home with guests - which didn't surprise Padme. Her mother was a fan of men. She didn't show the rest of them much interest, except for Paral, she did a double take, then laughed and said that she and Padme could almost be mistaken for one another. Well, if Paral was as dirty as Padme or with many scars on her hands and arms or callouses on her hands and feet.

Padme said nothing and prepared dinner, enough for everyone. Anakin and JarJar slurped it up without hesitation, Paral took a few bites before she left her plate alone until JarJar finished it off, Qui-Gon finished his at a descent pace, thanking her for the meal and offering a kind smile, while Padme's mother - Torame - finished half of her food, too busy gazing at Qui-Gon to pay much attention to her plate.

Padme just looked around, curiously, watching the others. Other than Torame's jabbering about one thing or another and the sound of eating and clicking utensils, the room was otherwise quiet.

In the time that Qui-Gon and his party were with them, Padme slept on the floor in her mother's room with her mother for the first night, Anakin slept on the floor in Padme's room with Paral taking Padme's bed, JarJar took the couch and Qui-Gon slept in their tiny guest room, which couldn't really be considered a guest room. It was closed off with a curtain and only big enough to fit a bed. They stayed about five days in total.

Anakin remarked about the speeder that Padme had in her backyard, something she had been killing time fixing up. She had no aspirations of riding it, but she figured if it was fast and it worked, then she might be able to sell it. Padme and her mother owed Watto a large sum for their contracts and while it's naïve to believe that she would one day be able to pay it off, but... in the most anti-climatic way possible, it gives her both something to do and something to look forward to. She does little else with her time. Simply tinkering, building the speeder and working for Watto.

Torame had off-handedly mentioned that Watto spends too much time and energy bartering on the swoop races which seemed to catch Qui-Gon's attention.

"Anakin," Qui-Gon said, turning to the youngest in the house.

"Master?" Anakin turned away from the window he was looking out of with Padme to his master.

"Would you be able to win with that speeder?"

Anakin shrugged thin shoulders. "Yeah, I bet I could. I'd have to take a good look at it, though, first. Why?"

Qui-Gon's solution was simple. They would barter with Watto. If Anakin was able to win the swoop race, they would get the part that they needed to be able to leave the planet. In exchange, any other possible earnings could go toward Padme and her mother for letting them use Padme's speeder. Padme thought it was a good deal but she was making that bike from scratch, the next race was in a few days and she wasn't sure that it would be finished in time or done right. She knew te basics that she needed but she was figuring it out as she went along, not with any actual instructions.

Anakin seemed certain that he would be able to get it up and running in time, even when she warned him about when the next race was. He didn't even seem slightly flustered by it. Seemingly pleased by his answer, Qui-Gon set off to make the deal with Watto and offered to return Paral to their ship, which she hastily agreed to, having seen enough of Tatooine for one trip. Anakin goes with to see if he can get some nonessential pieces from their ship to put into the speeder, after he checks to see what Padme had set aside.

As Qui-Gon was leaving with Paral, Padme had finally mustered up the courage to ask one of her many questions. "Why do you trust Anakin to ride in the race? Why don't you do it yourself?"

Qui-Gon looked down at her curiously for a moment before saying, simply, "He's a more skilled pilot than I am."

"How old is he..?" Padme asked, quietly, surprised by his answer.

"Nine," Qui-Gon said, easily. "He's about to turn ten in a few months. Why?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you think that he can't do it?"

Padme blinked a few times in surprise before bowing her head. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked that."

Qui-Gon tilted his head a bit. "There isn't a need to be sorry, Padme. Questions are a vital part of learning." Padme was too flustered at that point, not able to ask anything more. She just keeps her head bowed before turning around and heading to the back of her home to work on her speeder. She's never been good at talking to others, now she feels like a fool.

But, she was glad that he answered her questions. He did say that it was okay for her to ask, she's just not sure she will be able to muster the courage to do it again soon. But she was thankful for that.

Padme actually had fun spending the next couple of days with Anakin, able to move back into her own room with Anakin still sleeping on the floor, working on her speeder. Anakin told her all about being a Jedi. That he was brought to the Order when he was just three years old and he immediately excelled. It was hard for him to get along with the other kids so Qui-Gon took him on as a Padawan and left the temple on Coruscant to continue his training with his graduated Padawan now newly minted Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was on the mission with them but remained on the ship to try and fix it.

He didn't elaborate much on Obi-Wan other than, "I really like him. He's pretty cool," and kept working. Padme mostly watched him, helping out whenever she had an idea or was asked to do something by the younger boy. The only real strange thing was when she sliced her finger open the day before the race and had to really wrap it up. It was on her dominant hand and her mother was out, so thankfully Qui-Gon was more than willing to help her out, not at all bothered by her blood and helped patch her up quickly.

Together, Anakin and Padme - mostly Anakin because it turns out he loves this sort of thing and there literally isn't a thing he can't seem to fix or figure out - manage to fix up the speeder and in time for the race. Anakin seemed very pleased and when it came time for the race, Qui-Gon spoke with quite a few scrupulous characters that Anakin just sort of shrugged off before he went off to race. It was scary to watch, but Anakin seemed completely at ease, working through each and ever problem with quick thinking and a lot of luck, it seems.

Anakin won the race, winning them their part from Watto's ship. It was afterward that Qui-Gon alerted Padme that he had made a deal with another local junker that if their speeder won, he would purchase the speeder at a killer price that would pay for her contract. It didn't make a lot of sense to her, but she was relieved that both her and her mother were freed.

"You didn't have to do that for us," Padme said to Qui-Gon after her mother excitedly thanked him over and over again, claiming they would always be welcome in the Naberrie household, wherever it may be since they were no longer bound to Tatooine any longer. They need only pay their way off of it and go anywhere they want. They were no longer slaves.

"Perhaps," Qui-Gon agreed. "But you and your mother has shown my companions and I great generosity and kindness throughout our troubles. It was the least that I could do. But I must admit that I didn't do this completely out of kindness but because I also had something to ask you about. It's a big question, one you will unfortunately not have a lot of time to think over." He crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at her.

"What is it?" Padme asked, shifting uncomfortably.

"I want you to come with my group and I," Qui-Gon said easily. "To Coruscant."

"Why..?" Padme asked softly.

"The Force is exceedingly strong in you," Qui-Gon said, making Padme's lowered face and eyes jerk up toward him. "Far more powerful than someone your age without an ounce of training should be. With how strong you are, and the way that the Force is flowing around you, I believe the Masters of the Council will agree to take you on as a special case."

"I... could be a Jedi?" Padme asked, incredulously, unable to believe his words. "But why would the Master's allow it?"

Qui-Gon smiled faintly. "Honestly? I believe it is out of their hands now."

Padme didn't understand, but the thought of escaping Tatooine that day, something that she only half heartedly dreamed about because she never imagined they would be more than that, came true. Padme spoke with her mother, asking if she could leave, to which, for the first time in Padme's life, her mother cried. Her mother and her were not close, but they were all the other had. Her mother knew that this world, and all others, were cruel and Padme, being a very docile personality, wouldn't last long if her mother coddled her.

But Torame actually wanted this. She wanted Padme to go somewhere, and to do something with her life. She believed that if Padme got training from the Jedi, she might be able to grow a back bone. So she would be able to defend herself in the scary galaxy out there.

Torame actually held onto her tightly as she cried and bid her farewell, seeing her off.

Padme didn't look back. When she got onto the ship, she met Obi-Wan for the first time. He was older than her, his face shaved but his hair wasn't nearly as long as Qui-Gon's hair, but it was curling a bit around his ears and swept back out of his eyes. It looked fluffy and blond. When he saw her, he too had the most peculiar look, as if he was seeing doubles. His eyes flickered over to Qui-Gon, who stared back at him a moment, communicating with their eyes, before he stood up from where he was installing some wires into the computer counsel and introduced himself.

Anakin was right. He was cool, and she did like him. Obi-Wan was Qui-Gon's previous padawan before Anakin. He passed just in time for Qui-Gon to take Anakin in about a year and a half prior. Apparently they were traveling with a queen of some sort that Padme knew nothing about, so she stuck out in the main area rather than the cargo hold that the Nabooians took as their own, with Anakin, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon.

Padme wasn't prepared for the chill of space but Anakin stayed with her. Actually, since meeting him, Padme rarely had a moment away from Anakin. Not that she minded much, she really enjoyed her time together with him. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon mostly stayed in the cockpit, which wasn't more than five feet away from the space that Anakin and Padme occupied.

She began to really enjoy these moments, not wanting to be separated from the younger boy. He was so full of life and highly intelligent. He told her all about growing up in the Temple, seeming glad to have someone closer to his age to talk to that seemed interested in what he was saying. They would talk for hours about one thing or another, occasionally Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon would say something or join in on the conversation if it was something that interested them.

When they got to Coruscant, Padme went with Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Anakin to see the Jedi Council. Even though Qui-Gon seemed very positive that they were going to take her on as a padawan despite her age, Obi-Wan didn't seem so certain, but didn't push the issue. He just stood by quietly while Qui-Gon explained their mission thus far and it's developments.

Padme didn't learn until later, from Anakin, about what was happening on Naboo. But the Jedi finally called her in from the hall where two guards at the door stared at her with cold, unyielding eyes, making her very uncomfortable. She was glad to be somewhere where she at least knew the people. She walked over to Qui-Gon when he waved his hand for her and turned to face a bald human man and another alien that she had never seen before. She thought being on Tatooine that she would have seen just about every alien there was to see, but that's two for two so far. The rest of the Masters were of races she recognized.

"I sense great power in you," the bald man said, lacing his fingers together on his lap, "but you are older than I imagined. How old are you?"

"Fourteen," Padme said softly, feeling the intensity in the man's eyes weighing heavily down on her. "Sir," she added, feeling like she was missing something in her address.

The man offered a small smile, probably noting what she was missing but not filling her in on it. "It is unusual," the man admitted, "for someone so old to have such a connection to the Force, but not entirely unheard of."

"It's not just her strength in the Force, Master Windu," Qui-Gon said, voice smooth. "You can feel it, can't you?"

The man, Windu, opened his mouth to say something when another voice spoke, "Come to me, child."

Padme's eyes flickered over to the strange little green alien next to the bald man. He stared back at her with this great feeling of strength and understanding in such a small body. He held his hand out for her, three long nailed fingers spread out, but inviting rather than threatening. Padme looked up at Qui-Gon, who nodded, offering a reassuring smile, before she took a few, tentative steps closer before lowering to a knee and placing her larger, thin hand onto his. He placed his other hand over her own and closed his eyes, concentrating.

Padme felt this gentle breeze wash over her. It wasn't until later that she learned it was Master Yoda's Force presence. In his calm and peaceful state, it was like a gentle breeze that easily slipped past any defenses she could have possibly had up - she didn't, knowing nothing about mind tricks or mental shields - but if she did, she still didn't think she would have been able to stop Master Yoda, even if she wanted to.

In her mind, he saw what Qui-Gon had spent days seeing. Something that wasn't easily noticed, she'd been told, but obviously there once they saw it. She had somehow forged a powerful Force Bond with one of them, almost immediately. It was sudden and only had days to fester in strength, but because both of them were strong in the Force, it enhanced their bond.

When Qui-Gon said that her joining the Order was really out of the Masters' hands, that they wouldn't really have a choice in the matter, he was right. Yoda even agreed that the only viable choice they had was to have her join the Order, if not to learn to defend herself lest her actions or the actions of the one she is bonded too brings trouble. The other Masters, with a bit of convincing, all agreed for her to be taken on as a padawan but due to the uniqueness of her situation as both older than an other first joining the Order and her bond with one of their own, another unorthodox means of going about this was agreed upon.

Obi-Wan, a newly minted knight almost two years into his knighthood at the time, would be her official Master. But because Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon worked seamlessly together - and by extension Anakin as well - they would become almost like a pod. Two Masters, two Padawan. A form of duel training, that way, they may be able to explore this new festering bond between Anakin and Padme, while also giving her a proper teacher to start learning under and an experienced Master should hers ever need guidance.

It was odd, unorthodox, but it worked.

It wasn't but two days later that they were all on their way back to Naboo - or for the first time, in Padme's case - so that they could handle the situation with the Trade Federation. It was an odd occurrence where they allied themselves with JarJar's people - Gunguns, Padme learned - that fought off the droid army occupying Naboo, while Paral, who was actually Queen Amidala the entire time, went to reclaim Thead with Padme, Anakin and their Masters at her side. Padme honestly didn't do much but at one point they lost Anakin and Amidala's R2 astromech droid while in the hanger, but Qui-Gon assured her that Anakin would be alright, he just needed time to do his thing.

Obi-Wan wasn't the only one to blanch at that. But even without Anakin there, they were easily able to take out the droids guarding the palace room where Visroy Gunry was waiting for them, hoping to be able to capture Queen Amidala and get her to sign some treaty no one explained to Padme about, but he obviously wasn't expecting Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to be there to watch her back and Naboo was quickly freed from the Trade Federation Occupation.

After the award ceremony where Amidala thanked all of them for their nobility and courage, and forged what everyone hoped to be an everlasting alliance with the Gunguns leader, Boss Nass, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padme all set off back to Coruscant to both report their mission to the Council and to begin Padme's training. They were not like the rest of the pairs out there, and Padme would definitely be the oldest of her class, and since Anakin never fit in anyway, it seemed natural that they all set off again. A neat little pod, traveling the galaxy doing missions for the Council while learning to be Jedi - at least in Anakin and Padme's case.

"Padme? Hello? Is there anyone in there or has my padawan finally lost herself to her endless thoughts?"

Padme blinks, watching the floors race by them through the glass of the elevator they are on, before looking over at Obi-Wan, who was staring down at her with a quirked eyebrow. Obi-Wan's hair, more blond than brown now that it's grown out to his shoulders is still pushed out of the way of his eyes, but feathery and light, as Padme had previously assumed it was with a beard and mustache quite like Qui-Gon's to match gave age to his young face.

Padme's hair is pinned up in a simple bun on the top of her hair with her long padawan braid resting on her right shoulder, past her waist. Her top was a simple, thick black band around her breasts, while she wore simple white pants that went into her black boots with a skirt tied around her waist that went all the way down to her ankles at a point with the two tie strings in the front, about two inches thick that end at about her knees. On her arms were sleeves that went from the middle of her upper arms down to her wrists.

She couldn't wear the cloak, it was too heavy for her, and she was used to being dressed down because of the heat, it was hard to adjust, but thankfully she didn't have to.

The only thing out of place was a simple necklace. A small carving of a japor snippet in a piece of wood with a simple chain to keep it around her neck was given to her by Anakin after the battle of Naboo. She has worn it every day since.

Reaching up to run her fingers across it's smooth surface, having already memorized the engravings, Padme apologizes, "I am sorry for spacing off again, Master. I was just thinking about how I first met Master Qui-Gon and Anakin. This will be my first time seeing Queen - now Senator - Amidala since that time."

Obi-Wan nods slowly. "Yes, and it has been what, three months since we last saw Anakin and Master Qui-Gon?" Obi-Wan shakes his head as if he couldn't believe it himself. "I bet that doesn't hurt."

Padme smiles. "It will be nice to see them again."

"Have you been able to speak to Anakin at all?"

"It's only when he's really stressed that I can hear him," Padme says, twisting her braid around her fingers. "Master Qui-Gon must not be stressing him out so much anymore."

"Or he's getting better at handling it," Obi-Wan offers.

Padme watches the hair twirl. "That is an awful lot of wishful thinking, Master." Obi-Wan lets out a bark of a laugh, that pulls Padme's soft brown eyes up to him, smiling a bit more. It was rare for Obi-Wan to laugh like that. She enjoyed seeing her young Master let go a bit.

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan agrees. "But regardless, it will be nice to see them again. I admit, I enjoy our alone time as Master and Padawan, but sometimes, you and I are just too quiet for what I'm used to."

Padme laughs. "I never thought that Master Qui-Gon and Anakin wouldn't be able to get along. I admit, their arguing is very amusing, and I feel silly for admitting that."

"Don't," Obi-Wan says, grinning broadly. "I think it does Master some good. I was a bit rebellious, but I'm much to passive a personality to give him a real challenge. As a Padawan he always told me that then was the time to make the bad decisions and question his ever move. I wouldn't be able to do that later, but I knew Master was wise, so I never put up too much of a fight. I suppose you could say my rebellious faze only lasted a few days, in spurts over a few years. Not like Anakin."

"Anakin's rebellious faze started when he was ten years old an hasn't stopped yet," Padme laughs.

Obi-Wan hums in amused agreement. "True, Master did ultimate get what he wanted. But Anakin is a form of controlled chaos in most situations. If I had been his Master, he would probably be downright disobedient at every turn. He's too headstrong for me, I'm afraid."

"That's what makes me your perfect padawan, Master," Padme says, finally dropping her braid. "I'm a docile personality, after all. Passive, like you. But also aggressive like you."

Obi-Wan smiles down at her. "You are just enough like me that we get along, and different enough that we are both still learning to deal with one another."

"Ten years," Padme says softly. "How the time flies."

"That it does, my young padawan."

The door dings and opens. Padme and Obi-Wan step out of the elevator, hearing speaking in the next room.

Able to feel Anakin, loud and clear, Padme looks up at Obi-Wan again, surprised. "They beat us here? I thought their mission took them closer to the Outter Rim than ours did. How did they beat us back?"

Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow. As soon as the words left her lips, she knew the answer. "Anakin," they both say.

"I wish I had a Force Bond with Master Qui-Gon in those moments," Obi-Wan says, amused. "He thought my piloting was atrocious? Anakin's is a bloody nightmare put on repeat."

Padme laughs as the two of them walk head into Senator Amidala's living room. As per usual, as soon as she entered the room, the first person her eyes set upon, as if magnetized, was Anakin and his bright, beautiful smile that lit up his face sent her way. As had become habit between them whenever separated for a long period of time, they walked right toward each other. Paral, beautiful as ever, looked like she was speaking to him, when Padme walked in.

As soon as they were about a foot from one another, Padme holds up her right hand and Anakin holds up his left and they place their palms together, feeling the Force shift and flutter around them, springing to life and singing like a melody around them. The rest of the room, and even the world falls away, as they are lost in their moment. The Force circling around them, cooing as if in love as they feel one another through their touch.

Padme could feel all of the scars on Anakin's body from years of training and tinkering. She could feel his happiness to see her swell like a balloon around them. She could feel all of his agitation, his worry and even his anger and annoyance at everything that had happened while they were separated fall away like caked on dirt against a hose, blasted away until nothing remained. His thoughts and feelings swirled around her like a maelstrom too powerful to be contained in his body. But she was used to it. She welcomed the chaos. It was so different from her. He was so different from her.

And she loved it.

Such a thing started to occur about two years after they met. The magnitude in which it grew was slow and steady. Their touch was in playful greeting after time apart, but as their connection grew stronger, it became a sort of need for them. Their touch made their Force connection stronger. It was like the great distance wasn't enough to sever their connection, and even time wasn't, but reuniting and reaching out to one another was one of the ways that the Force shared their time apart with one another. She didn't know exactly what happened on his mission, she wasn't able to sift through the images, but she knew she saw every bit of it in moments.

The Force wanted no secrets between them, it seemed.

Qui-Gon called this moment between them, intimate. Anakin and Padme were both alarmed by his word, fearing that somehow what they were doing was wrong, even if they barely had any control over it then. He assured them that he wasn't made, but simply intrigued by it. They were woven so neatly together by the Force, when they touched like that and shared their information with one another, it was as if for those moments, in the Force, they became one being. Their physical bodies were simply touching at the hand, but their Force powers intertwined and weaved together so neatly, it was a beautiful act he admitted he couldn't stop from watching.

Once the moment was over, Padme and Anakin became two separate beings once more. The starburst of color and joy from the Force begins to fade again into quiet, but happy, submission as Padme and Anakin pull their hands back from one another.

"Hey," Anakin says, grinning down at her.

"Hi," Padme says back, smiling daintily back up at him.

"Greetings, Senator," Obi-Wan says smoothly, walking up next to Qui-Gon, who also mastered the art of moving things along when Padme and Anakin were involved. "I heard troubling news," Obi-Wan continues, waiting for Paral to pull her brown eyes to him before he goes on, "that someone is after your life."

"Yes," Paral says, looking between Anakin and Padme, who seem to be lost in their own world with one another. "I am. The Jedi believe that they have a solution for this?"

Obi-Wan nods. "Yes, we believe it wise that until we can assure whomever it is after your life is stopped, that my padawan, Padme, will be taking your place as Senator Amidala."


	2. Attempt

**Author's Note: Hello everyone, I'm sorry about the wait! I'm really interested in this story and I hope that you guys still are too! I know it's kind of slow now but it's going to start picking up soon, I promise! Let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Warnings: Language, OOCness, unbeta'd.**

 **Word Count: 5,252**

Padme steps before Paral, bowing low at the waist to her. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Senator Amidala."

"Padme," Paral says, nodding slowly. "The pleasure is mine. You look as... good as ever..."

Padme smiles faintly, raising back up into a straight posture. "It's strange, isn't it, Senator?" She tucks her Padawan braid behind her ear. "Saying someone who looks like you looks good is a little strange, huh?"

Paral smiles faintly. "Yes. Admittedly it is strange." Her smile fades and it's back to business. "This is the Jedi's idea to keep me safe? Put a Jedi in my place?"

"She's not here to take your place," Qui-Gon says, seeing the annoyance starting to work it's way across Paral's face. "She's acting much like a body double. Like your handmaidens would. She's there to be your first line of defense. As Queen you were able to hide your double with make-up and her relatively same height and body shape to stop people from being able to tell the difference. Padme's physical alikeness to you provides another opportunity much like that. Unfortunately, this will only work once."

Paral's eyebrows pull together tightly. "What do you mean?"

"Because of the unique situation we were in," Obi-Wan says, "Anakin and Padme were both raised away from the Temple and the prying eyes of the people of Coruscant. No one knows that there is a Jedi that looks nearly identical to one of their Senators. But once this is over, there is a very good chance that everyone will know, or at least those that are after your life."

"It's not so much about me selling that I'm you, just that those that are after your life focus on me long enough for you to get off the planet and somewhere safe," Padme says, interlacing her fingers in front of her lap. "It's not to cloak you completely or pretend to be you, just to offer you an out. That's why Master Qui-Gon said this would only work once."

Paral crosses her arms over her chest, nodding her head slowly. "Okay, I think I'm starting to understand." She lets out a long winded sigh, swaying from side to side, looking lost in thought. "Then what is the plan?"

"Tomorrow morning," Qui-Gon says, "you and I will go to Naboo while Padme will stay here as you, attend your meetings in your stead and take notes while we wait for the attacker to make their move."

"And when they do, we'll be ready for them," Anakin says, offering a confident smirk. Paral stares at him with large pretty brown eyes.

"Patience, my young Padawan," Qui-Gon says, giving Anakin a stern look. "You know how this works. When I'm not here, Obi-Wan is in charge. You listen to him, do you hear me?"

"Yes, Master," Anakin says, bowing his head a bit. Padme smiles at him, knowing he's only being so good because Paral is around. Normally he would be arguing with Qui-Gon. The oldest of them seems to know that as well. Anakin is trying to be professional and Qui-Gon is using it against him. Unfortunately, that isn't going to work forever, nor is it going to work twice.

"Besides," Obi-Wan says, neatly clasping his hands in front of him, "we are not here to catch the people who are doing this, simply to stop them from getting to Senator Amidala."

Paral looks between the four Jedi, all looking at one another in quiet contemplation. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon seem to be on the same page while Padme and Anakin are on a different one, but are like of mind. They believe that they should stop whomever it is that is after Paral's life, but Obi-Wan made it perfectly clear to her, that they were not doing this to find the culprit but to keep Paral safe until the vote. He did say that Qui-Gon would do the same with Anakin, but Padme and Obi-Wan know that Qui-Gon would have had his hands full with Anakin in this matter... had he been the one to stay behind as 'Paral/Padme's guard' in Obi-Wan's stead, but he isn't.

Anakin is going to be Obi-Wan's problem.

"Padme can't take my place in meetings," Paral says. "She is not prepared to face Senators. There is no way she can be there. I'll stay for my own meetings."

"I would advise against that," Qui-Gon says. "Padme will not speak on your behalf, but if you are needed there in the meetings, she can do that for you without putting your life in further danger."

Paral looks over at Padme. "Can you do this?" She asks. "I mean, I don't want to offend you at all, but this is way different than anything your used to, I'm sure. These people would eat you alive. And you are representing Naboo, myself and what I stand for. I'm not sure if I trust someone I barely know to do that. Especially since this isn't your lifestyle and your forte. I don't mean to insult you, but you would probably mess this up."

Padme looks away, reaching up to rub at the back of her neck, feeling uncomfortable. She knew that this wasn't her world, but she didn't think that she would absolutely ruin everything. Maybe she would, but she would like to believe that she was smarter than that. Sure, she was no politician but she did understand the basics of politics, Master Qui-Gon made sure of that. Anakin wasn't interested in learning, but Padme was, and most of their time was spent discussing all sorts of things, mostly about the goings on in the galaxy - so politics is a topic often brought up.

Anakin frowns at Paral's words, opening his mouth to defend Padme when he catches Obi-Wan's sharp look and shake of the head. Obi-Wan looks over at Qui-Gon thinking through his words carefully before saying, "Your life is important, Senator, we have to get you somewhere safe. We will do our absolute best to keep you and your reputation just as it is, but you won't be able to sign for that bill, let alone any other bills if you don't survive this. With all do respect, ma'am, please allow us to do our jobs."

Paral frowns at Obi-Wan, staring up into his eyes with a thin crease appearing between two perfectly sculpted eyebrows. Her lips press hard together, like she's considering something, before her eyes flicker over to Padme and offers a little nod.

"Fine," Paral says. "I leave my life, reputation, and plans for the future in your... capable hands, master Jedi." She looks around at all of them before turning toward her handmaiden and nodding. "Dorme, I'm ready for bed."

Her handmaiden, waiting in the corner of the room with her head bowed and her eyes closed, nods and straightens up, offering a thin smile. "Yes, my lady." Together they head down the hall toward what could only be Paral's room, without another word. Padme, Obi-Wan, Anakin and Qui-Gon all bow their heads to her as she departs.

Once she's gone, Anakin turns to Padme. "Are you okay?"

"Me?" Padme says, quietly, offering him a meek smile. "I'm okay. Don't worry."

"I don't like the way she talks to you," Anakin says, shaking his head.

"She's not talking to me in a special way," Padme says, turning to him. "She's just worried about a lot of things. I can understand her lack of faith in me, I have done nothing to prove myself capable yet." Padme rolls his shoulders back a bit, giving him a slightly stronger smile. "She's right to be worried. I'll just have to prove myself both capable and trustworthy."

Obi-Wan puts his hand on her shoulder. "I partially agree with Anakin, Padme. I do not agree with the way she is speaking to you, but you are right. This is both her life and reputation on the line. As long as people think you are Paral Amidala, everything you say and do will represent her. So be mindful of that."

Padme nods. "Yes, Master."

"Obi-Wan is right," Qui-Gon says, stepping around Obi-Wan to put his hand on Padme's shoulder. "But I don't need to stress to you how important this is. You are a smart girl, Padme, and Anakin and Obi-Wan will be right there beside you the whole time. And I will be a call away if you need me."

"Thank you, Master," Padme says, smiling a bit more confidently.

"And if you have to speak in front of a crowd," Qui-Gon says, Padme's smile fades immediately, "just don't think about it. You'll be fine."

Obi-Wan looks exasperated while Anakin runs his hand over his face. "That was not the right thing to say, Master," Anakin groans, arching his long back backwards for a moment before letting his shoulders sag as his spine settles back into place.

"I thought I wasn't going to have to say anything in these meetings," Padme says, her lightly tanned face drained of all color, making her beauty mark stand out more on her cheek.

Qui-Gon blinks, looking over at Obi-Wan. "I thought she got over her shyness."

Obi-Wan pushes his long blond hair away from his face. "Uh, no. She hasn't yet."

"Yeah," Anakin says, crossing his arms over his chest. "It kind of evolved into a full on phobia rather than simple shyness. She has nightmares about it," Anakin supplies. He looks down at Padme, her jaw is clenched tightly, but her face is impassive aside from the lack of color.

Qui-Gon looks at Anakin, who shrugs. Then he looks over at Obi-Wan, who is rubbing at his forehead, avoiding eye contact, and finally to Padme, who's smile couldn't be more forced.

"I'll be okay, Master." Her voice is shaking and thin as paper. Qui-Gon lets out a slow, deep sigh, rubbing at his forehead.

"I'm sure, Padme," Qui-Gon says, kindly, but without conviction. "There is nothing to be afraid of. It's just speaking to people, that's all. I wouldn't worry too much about it, but if for whatever reason you have to speak in front of a crowd," he hesitates, looking for the right words before settling with, "just don't think about it too much. Say what you must, then move on. That's all we can ask for."

Padme nods slowly. "Yes, sir."

Qui-Gon pats Padme's shoulder. "Good. Now, I'm going to speak with the Captain of Senator Amidala's guard to go over the plans for tonight."

"I'll check the perimeter, then," Obi-Wan says. Anakin rubs at the back of his neck, standing next to Padme as they watch the two older than them leave the room, before Padme looks up at Anakin.

"She likes you," Padme says.

Anakin blinks, looking down at her with his eyebrows pulled together. "What? Who?"

"The Senator," Padme says, keeping her voice low.

Anakin lets out a bark of a laugh. "No way. What makes you say that?"

"She kept looking at you," Padme says, casting a quick glance down the hall to make sure Paral or her handmaiden weren't on their way back and could overhear them. "And when I walked in, she looked like she wanted to keep talking to you but you were distracted with me."

Anakin frowns at that. "Don't say it like that."

Padme looks up at him, innocently. "Like what?"

"That you are just a nuisance or an after thought. Don't say it like that. You're my best friend."

Padme blushes a bit, reaching up to caress Anakin's cheek. "Thank you, Ani. You have always been too sweet to me."

Anakin smiles, grabbing her hand and holding it in place for a moment before pulling it away, to cradle it between both of his, dangling in the space between them. Padme's hand lights up immediately from his body heat. "You don't give yourself enough credit. You are way too hard on yourself. You'll be fine. I won't leave your side for a moment."

"Thank you," Padme says softly. They pull apart from one another. "I should go and see how Senator Amidala is doing."

"Master and Obi-Wan will yell at us if they catch us just standing around," Anakin says, offering her a charming smile. "You go check on the Senator and I'll..." he turns and walks toward the window, "...admire the view." He folds his hands neatly behind his back as the lights of the passing speeders and neon sighs on the buildings around them splash a starburst of different colors across his face and body.

Admiring the view, huh? She smiles, knowing him better than that. She turns and heads down the hall toward where she can sense Paral and her handmaiden inside, using the knuckles on her fingers to lightly wrap against the door.

"Senator? It's Padme. May I come in?"

The sound of shifting and whispers, before she's called to enter the room. She does, closing the door tightly behind her in case Paral wasn't completely dressed. Padme turns to look at Paral in the middle of the room and freezes. For as much as Padme and Paral looked alike, Paral would always be the more beautiful of the two of them in Padme's opinion.

Paral's back was to Padme and it was smooth and unblemished with wonderfully tanned skin. She is skinny with prominent vertebrae, shoulder blades and ribs. Her long, dark curly hair is pulled over her shoulders, making her look more beautiful and ethereal. Before her, Padme felt larger, bulkier. Her shoulders were a bit broader from working out. Her arms, legs and stomach are toned and muscled for her lifestyle. She's not soft and smooth like Paral. She's got bruises on her arms, legs and body from one thing or another and scars all over her arms and legs from learning to wield a lightsaber on stun. Getting hit hard enough and enough times leave scars, she's come to learn. Her fingers were thicker and more calloused and her nails were cut short with a bit of dirt under them.

Their faces were a lot alike, but the rest of them wasn't.

Padme kind of envied Paral. She wouldn't give up her life for anything, but the feminine part of Padme wished she was at least a little bit more like Paral. And it's not all in physical sense. She wished that she could be as confident as Paral was. As strong as she was. If she could, Padme would be as strong and sure as Paral while still being her. But that's a lot harder to do. She's shy and quiet by nature and being connected to someone as strong as Anakin, it's hard to become more assertive.

But that's what is so perfect about the two of them. They were opposites in many ways that made them work well together - perfectly even. They are in perfect sync with one another most of the time, and at the very core of it, Anakin is Padme's best friend. She honestly loves him more than anything else. She loves her Master and Master Qui-Gon, but Anakin is the one that she is bonded with. He's the one inside her head. Through the Force, at nights, if they were separate, they would dream of one another, a linked dream where they could speak to each other.

Anakin is the stronger of them. Padme is considered powerful in the Force, not more than Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon, but more than a regular Padawan her age, but even she is eclipsed by Anakin. In some of their most powerful moments bonding with one another, they can see the Force like billions of billions of threats that stretch as far as the eye can see and connect to anything and everything. They are rare moments of vision that only come when one of them - usually Anakin - or both of them are feeling something so strongly that the Force is really reacting to it. The Masters are extremely interested in these moments, this vision into the visible form of the Force, but they are extremely rare, having only happened three times since Padme and Anakin formed the bond with one another.

Paral likes Anakin?

The thought catches her off guard, staring at Paral's back as her handmaiden moves around her, dressing her up for the night. Someone so beautiful is interested in Anakin. Not that Anakin would do anything with her, but it was still weird to think about. Jedi wore big, bulky cloaks and married the Order and were genuinely uninteresting to regular people that it's strange that someone so high up in society would really be interested in Anakin. Not that Anakin wasn't a handsome man, it was just odd to think about.

"Is something wrong, Padawan?" Paral asks, pulling Padme from her thoughts.

"No, Senator," Padme says, ignoring the 'Padawan'. "I just came to make sure that you were alright. I figured you would probably be more comfortable if I was the one who came to check on you rather than one of my male counterparts. Or, at least it would be more appropriate." Padme closes her eyes and shakes her head. She could kick herself. "Is everything alright?"

Paral raises a dainty eyebrow, turning around, now fully dressed, looking beautiful in a nightgown and her hair down. "I'm fine. Does that mean that you are going to be here with me all night?"

Would you rather someone else? Was on Padme's lips, but she didn't say that, not sure how she would feel about whatever her answer might be. So she doesn't ask. Instead, she says, "Yes, ma'am. It would be preferable that one of us be able to watch you at all times until you are off Coruscant."

Paral sighs. "And R2-D2 doesn't count?"

Padme smiles down at the silver and blue astromech droid next to her, reaching down and settling her hand on his helm, hearing him beep and wiggle excitedly. "No, Senator, I'm sorry. You're invaluable, buddy, so I would love the help in protecting her."

R2-D2 wiggles again, beeping happily.

Padme smiles more, giving his little head a pet. "I'm glad to see you again soon, R2."

R2-D2 beeps again, rattling back and forth in joy.

* * *

In the middle of the night, Padme, who was meditating in the corner of the dark room in silence. She can feel Anakin meditating in the living room to help strengthen her focus. Both of their senses fill the room. At some point, though, Anakin's concentration is interrupted by either Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon and so his sense fades from the room a bit. He's strong enough to still reach into the room, but it's not as keen, he's distracted.

Padme stands up slowly, rolling her ankles a bit. They hurt from her sitting on them for so long without moving. She takes a moment to stretch out all of her limbs before walking toward the bathroom, listening to it whisper closed behind her so that she can go to the bathroom and wash her hands and face. She's tired, having been up for the last few days driving back to Coruscant and completing their mission so that they can make it back in time to do their next one. Padme rolls her shoulders back, feeling an ache in the center of her back. She's sore and tired.

Tomorrow. She will be able to sleep tomorrow night, hopefully. She just has to make it through tonight. Meditation is good and provides a degree of rest, but delve too deep and she'll fall asleep in no time. She has to get up and move around every once and while she's up, splash water on her face or something to help keep her alert. It might be against Paral's wishes - or exactly what she wants - but if she can't keep herself awake, she might have to switch with Anakin so that she can get a few hours of shut-eye and be more alert.

Padme gives her cheeks a hard slap to wake herself up before walking out of the bathroom. As the door whispers shut behind her, Padme realizes that there is something in the room that shouldn't be. She freezes, looking around the darkness of the room, feeling her skin crawl. Whatever it is, it's small. No, two. There is two of them. They are small and slithering. Some kind of bug.

Padme reaches onto her waist band and grabs her lightsaber, slowly stepping closer to Paral's bed, her eyes scanning the floor. If it's some kind of bug like she thinks it is, it's going to be small, and on the bed or floor.

Padme closes her eyes, letting the Force help her see. And she does. She locates the bugs through the Force. She ignites her lightsaber, filling the room with a bright blue light, and jumps onto the other side of the bed to kill the two dark bugs crawling around on the floor toward Paral's bed. The door kicks open a moment later and Anakin is there, his lightsaber also lit. Paral jerks up from her spot on the bed as Obi-Wan runs in behind Anakin. Paral looks around confused while Padme and Anakin lock eyes. A second later, she sees Obi-Wan moving toward the window in a running leap before the glass shatters and he hits open air.

"Master!" Padme yells, running over to the window to see him wiggling to get hold of a floating droid before they fly away.

Padme's eyes widen in absolutely horror before turning around to see Anakin running from the room, yelling, "Watch her!" in his wake. Padme stands there, stunned. Maybe Anakin and Obi-Wan were more alike than either of them may have wanted to admit. At least Padme wasn't the only one left stunned as Paral appeared to be as well. A moment later, Paral's handmaiden comes running into the room and sits down beside her on the bed.

"Are you alright, my lady?"

Padme feels the harsh pull of the suction on her hair, skin and clothes. Her eyes scan the flashing lights, looking for some sign of who it was that attempted the assassination, but seeing as it was a droid, they are probably far enough away that they won't easily be traced. Padme perks a bit. But, if the droid is programmed to return to it's master. Which would mean that Obi-Wan has a one way trip to the assassin.

"What was that?" Paral asks, her voice tinged in alarm.

"It was your assassin, coming quicker than expected," Padme says. Padme doesn't move from her spot by the new window, keeping her eyes peeled for any other threat in this giant 'hole' in their defense.

"Padme."

Padme looks over her shoulder at Qui-Gon, walking up to her. He looks at the busted glass, then to her. "Anakin?"

The brown eyed girl smiles. "Obi-Wan."

Qui-Gon closes his eye for a moment, letting out a low, slow sigh. His long, graying hair is pulled harshly by the warm night air. Padme looks over at the older man, that appears to be aging more and more rapidly in these moments than he has in the last few years.

"I swear," Qui-Gon says, shaking his head. "I thought that I was careful raising both of my Padawans." He lets out a long winded sigh. "Why are you the only good one, Padme?"

"That's up to debate, Master Qui-Gon," Padme says, crossing her arms over her chest to ward off the cold a bit. "They were smart to go after the assassin, whereas I am still here."

"Our charge is here," Qui-Gon says, pulling off his brown cloak and placing it over her shoulders, without taking his eyes off of the openness in front of them. "Those two dummies shouldn't have left her alone, had it just been the two of them. Thankfully you and I are here to keep upholding our mission, because this _is_ our mission, to protect Senator Amidala, _not_ to find the people who are after her life."

Padme blinks a few times in confusion, realizing that yes, Obi-Wan was the one who said that. Yet, he was the one that jumped out the window. Padme shakes her head slowly, laughing.

"They are insane."

Qui-Gon groans a bit, also shaking his head. "They are in so much trouble, that's for sure." After a few moments of silence, Qui-Gon starts to laugh, shaking his head again. Padme grins up at him.

* * *

"So, what now?" Padme asks, once Obi-Wan and Anakin return, telling the tale of their adventure after they left the Senate building. It sounds like after the changling that tried to kill Paral, there is actually another bounty hunter that seemed to have hired her. Obi-Wan showed the little dart to Qui-Gon.

"I was wondering if Dax might know something about it. Or, do you?" Obi-Wan tilts his head to the side, curious at the look that Qui-Gon was giving the dart, the creases in his forehead drew deeper in concentration. Padme looks between the two of them before turning toward Anakin.

"So, what now?" She asks again.

"I haven't a clue," Anakin admits. "I think the plan kind of went out the window when someone here went rogue."

Obi-Wan sends him a droll look before turning his attention back to Qui-Gon. Anakin raises an eyebrow at the two older men, holding his arms above his head and stretching. His hands fall back to his sides. He works on a kink in his shoulder, watching the last of the Senatorial guards leaving after assuring Paral that she was now safe from the poisonous bugs. A clean sweep showed that they were all found - there was just the two of them that Padme killed - and removed. Her sheets, covers and pillow cases have also been removed and replaced.

Paral looks exhausted and retreats back to her room once Qui-Gon also assured that he felt no danger, to get some sleep. They repaired the window and Padme made sure to pull the blinds once more and that R2-D2 was in there with her. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan seemed certain that assassination attempt would be the last for now. It seems like the bounty hunter in charge of the act fled for the time being. But they will still have to be careful.

"So, what now?" Padme asks for the third time in the last five minutes. Anakin grins at her.

Qui-Gon stares down at the dart for a moment before handing it back to Obi-Wan. "I know I have seen this design somewhere before but if you go and speak with Dax, I'm sure he will be able to tell you more for certain." Obi-Wan nods slowly, putting the dart into a baggy and sticking it into his pocket. "As for what we are going to do, the plan hasn't changed. Tomorrow, Senator Amidala and I will go to Naboo while Anakin and Padme stay here to keep the attention off the Senator while Obi-Wan goes to see Dax about that dart."

"So we are going to pursue the people after Paral's life?" Anakin asks, one of his eyebrows quirk up smugly.

Qui-Gon glares at Anakin, holding a hand out toward him in a 'don't test me' look. Anakin smiles back at him, which Qui-Gon shakes his head at before looking over at Obi-Wan.

"Good?"

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan says. "I'll leave after you do."

Qui-Gon nods. "Good. I'm going to step away to speak with the council, can the three of you handle this here?"

"Yes, sir," Obi-Wan says.

"Yes, Master Qui-Gon," Padme chimes in.

"Sure," Anakin says, shrugging his shoulders. Padme rolls her eyes while Obi-Wan smiles. Qui-Gon looks positively droll, though. He looks like he wants to say something to Anakin, but then decides against it.

Qui-Gon shakes his head. "Alright. I should be back in a few hours." With that, he turns and leaves.

As soon as Qui-Gon is gone, Anakin turns to Padme and points at the couch. "Rest."

"What?" Padme asks, brown eyes wide.

"I can feel your exhaustion and it's weighing me down," he says, crossing his arms over his chest. "When is the last time you slept, by the way?"

"Two or three days ago?" Padme guesses.

Anakin looks over at Obi-Wan, shaking his head. "Slave driver."

"Anakin, seriously?" Obi-Wan chastises. "Are you a barbarian? Did you have to say it like that?"

Anakin blinks a few times before looking over at Padme, putting his hand on his forehead. "By the Force, Padme, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." He squeezes his eyes closed and through their bond Padme can feel his anger toward himself and his genuine worry for her. "I'm sorry."

Padme shakes her head. "Don't worry about it, Anakin. And don't worry about me. Once Senator Amidala and Master Qui-Gon leave tomorrow, I'll get some sleep, but until then, I'll be alright."

"I happen to agree with Anakin," Obi-Wan says, walking over to her. "Padme, get some sleep. You are going to have a really long day tomorrow. Get some rest, okay?"

"Are you sure it's okay?" Padme says. As soon as the words leave her mouth, a yawn quickly follows after. She flushes in embarrassment. "Okay, thanks."

"Get some sleep, my young Padawan," Obi-Wan says, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You will have a long journey ahead of you. This is just the beginning."

"Obi-Wan is right," Anakin says as Obi-Wan removes his hand. "Something tells me that sleep isn't going to be a hot commodity in the days to follow. You should get it while you can. Okay?"

Padme nods, walking over to the couch and flopping down onto it, feeling like a ton of bricks. Her entire body aches from finally being able to relax. Her eyes droop closed and she's out in a moment.

 _For the Reviewers:_

 _1\. Adriana Mikaelson: Yes, Jedi Padme. :D Thank you!_

 _2\. riml: Thank you so much! I hope you continue to enjoy it! Sorry about the wait!_

 _3\. Guest 1: Sorry about the wait! Thank you!_

 _4\. YellowSpeedyNinja: I've been entertaining the idea for a little while now, so I'm glad that I'm finally starting to work on it. Sorry about the wait!_

 _5\. Guest 2: I'm sorry! I had to get the chapter out before I lost it, so I had to end it there, but there is a bit more of the night in this one! I'm not sure what you mean by 'these' but thank you so much!_


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